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To make matters worse, the vessel has failed a Home Fire Safety Check by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service , which means they cannot use the butane heater due to fears it may malfunction, as well as blocking any exits due to its size.

A spokesman said: "Our staff visited the family and conducted a Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) within the boat last week.

"We provided fire safety advice relevant to a boat and free smoke detection throughout the vessel.

"From the information we received we were aware that there may have been a potential for a malfunctioning heater within the boat.

"We advised the family to consider finding an alternative method for heating the boat."

“You just get used to being cold and hungry.”

Mr McIntyre said: “It’s been very hard recently.

“It was so cold the other day we had icicles inside the windows of the boat.

“The area where we are moored is used by other homeless people.

“There are drug users around and, to be honest, it can be a bit scary at night.”

He added that on several occasions he had woken to find the boat floating down the river after someone had untied it.

The family, who are not the only homeless people living on boats on the river, find themselves in what they call an “impossible position”.

Not qualifying for help from the council, every penny they get goes on surviving.

Mr McIntyre told getreading some private landlords in Reading demand two-and-half-months rent upfront, which is as much as £3,500.

Some of the family of six's belongings in the tiny living area (Image: Get Reading)

He said: “Where are we going to get three grand from? All our money goes on food and trying to keep warm."

Mrs English added: “I just can’t see an end to it.

“The boat is made of steel, it’s almost like it absorbs the cold.

“It’s Christmas soon. It doesn’t feel like it.

“You just get used to being cold and hungry.”

“It was so cold the other day we had icicles inside the windows of the boat."

She said the daily routine gets everyone down.

“The highlight is a trip to the cafe at Tesco.

“They all know us there, they can’t believe how we’re living.

“Other than that, it’s sitting around and looking after my son and daughter."

Mrs English strongly denies claims by Reading Borough Council that it has offered her financial assistance, saying, "If the council offered me financial help, don't you think I'd take it?".

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Mr McIntyre said: “We’ve been in touch with other councils, but they say the same thing, that they can’t help us.

“There are very few homes for six people anywhere anyway, although we’d happily have a three bed, but there are rules which mean we can’t.

“They like people to have family nearby and we don’t.

“All our family is in Reading, so places like Basingstoke aren’t interested in helping us.”

Christine English and her son Jack McIntyre (Image: Get Reading)

A Reading council spokesman said: “Ms English made a homeless application in November 2016 and was found to be intentionally homeless in January 2017. This decision was appealed and upheld in March 2017.

“If someone who applies for homelessness assistance is found to be intentionally homeless the authority does not have a responsibility to provide housing.

“Ms English has been offered financial assistance to secure private rented accommodation for her and her dependent children by two different council sections but these offers have not been taken up.

“We understand Ms English has also approached other local authorities for housing but has been unsuccessful.

“At the moment there has not been a material change in Ms English circumstances to result in the council being able to provide accommodation.

“However, the offer of financial assistance to secure private rented accommodation, in or outside of Reading, is still open.”

Nine things you might not know about renting, but really should

Facts from homelessness charity Shelter

1. Lots of people rent

More than one third of people in England to be exact. Renting used to be something people did before buying a house. But now because homes are so expensive, lots more people are renting. These aren’t just young people either; but lots of families and some elderly people too.

2. Renting is incredibly expensive for a lot of people

Private renters spend more than 40 per cent of their income on average on housing costs. Renting is still often thought of as the cheap option instead of buying. But because there aren’t enough affordable homes, renting has become more and more expensive in recent years.

3 Private renters losing a tenancy is actually the leading cause of homelessness. Private renting is really unstable because the law only gives renters the right to short six months contracts as a minimum. This often leaves people teetering on the edge of homelessness.

4. Renters have to deal with rogue law breaking landlords

One in eight private renters have had problems with landlords breaking the law. Renters often have weak rights and can be exploited by rogue law breaking landlords. This can leave renters feeling powerless, scared and out of pocket.

5. You should know exactly where your deposit is

People often worry about whether their deposit is safe. But if you are a private renter, you have a legal right to ask your landlord to provide you with written proof that your deposit is in a secured tenancy deposit scheme. Here’s more advice on Shelter’s website.

6. Moving home can be very expensive if you’re a renter

More than 250,000 private renters had to take on bank debt to pay for a move. Many renters have no choice but to move home, if their rent goes up or they’re evicted, for example. But the cost of moving home can be huge, and drive renters into debt. Making it harder still for them to pay the rent.

7. Your landlord should normally have to pay for repairs

We sometimes hear from tenants who are being made to pay for repairs to their home because their landlord is telling them to. You should never have to do this - structural repairs are the landlord’s responsibility.

8. Letting fees are going to be banned

Which is lucky because some 41 per cent of private renters had to pay these fees. Shelter campaigned on this issue and told the government that these fees are unfair and expensive. The government listened and now they are due to be banned.

9. Your landlord is not allowed into your home whenever they like

Sometimes renters might worry that their landlord can come round and go into their room whenever they like. This is not true. The landlord should give always ask your permission first.